Organic Gardening Goal 11 : To consider the wider social and ecological impacts of urban landscapes and the practices and products used to create and maintain them.

When I was running my organic fertilizer business, I was amazed at the number of emails and calls I received from clients who were blown away by the results they achieved just by using my organic fertilizers in their garden.

This was a major help to me, sitting in my little apartment bottling and shipping products and wondering if I was making a difference. This contact with my customers reminded me that my little organic gardening business was making a difference.

Our organic gardens can make a difference. It can be negative or positive. Our gardens impact the soil, water and air for many miles around us.

If we spray pesticides and use chemical fertilizers, they travel many miles through the air and groundwater. If we do not take the time to design our organic garden intelligently, we can end up wasting a lot of water, causing erosion, planting inappropriate non-native species, and so on - the opposite of what we want out of organic gardening.

The little things we do make a difference, too. Using non-toxic soap, buying organic clothing, walking to work, and yes, organic gardening. And we can have an even bigger impact by helping others learn how to garden.

I challenge you to plant a vegetable garden in your front yard, rather than hiding it in the back. Plant impressive things like pumpkins and tomatoes and berries. You can start a social movement on your street and all you have to do is put part of your vegetable garden where people can see it.

An even bigger challenge: Put your compost bins in the front yard. This is rarely done because compost piles are often unattractive, but you can make them tidy and gorgeous.